Hydraulic transmission for outboard motors



E F s. F. SHIELDS 2,445,369

HYDRAULIC TRANSMISSION FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Filed Jan. 22, 1942 2 SheetS -Sheec l ljziy l I f /f 2y Q 66 AZ H. F, 457M925;

Jully 20, 1948. s. F. SHIELDS 2,445,359

HYDRAULIC TRANSMISSION FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Filed Jan. 22, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 20, 1948 TRANSMISSION FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS.

Samuel E; Sliield's Mcpavid', Fla, assignor of. oner ialf. o B uliM- lyde,- ns c Application January: 22, 1942, Seria;l N0 427,800

This nv n el es o a ovel: oons metion.

of o d ot n nd more par ularly o: a motor P v e with hrr ira lic; ransm ssion. d including n r an eme tw ra ve ani on duits to enable; the propeller shaftof the: motor to be driven-in either direction t er im of the in en ion s: prov de: a hydraulic transmission of: simple oonst f-uotiQn 1Q use with outboard motors andwhich will enable the propeller shaft to remain idle while; the engine. or prime mover: of the outboard; motor;- is in operation. to provide ar neutral; position loetween the engine and propellenshaft A further aim of the inventionis,to provide a transmission capable ofbeing controlled;-

a; pivotally mounted lever connected to; the, steeri ing arm offthe motor.

t l h im: 1-; ilev inv ntion; i r? 1 20- vide automatic means for automatically reducing the speed at which the prime; mov r Q englue is operated. when the transmission: is in aneutral positionandrwhich is so'arrangedin con-v junction with the means fon controlling, the transmission,. thatthe speed at which the peller shaft is driven willlvary proportionately to the speed at which the enginelis d'riven; v

Other obj ectsz and advantages :ofj' the. invention will hereinaften become' rmore fulty apparentirom h follvwine desc i ion oi t e drawings; whibh illustrate a pre ferred eniliodiment thereof; and wherein:

Figure 1 isa side elevationallview showingan, outboard motor constructed. in. accordance: with the invention, l

Figure 2 is. an; enlarged side elevational view h wi thee-hydrau ic ra i mi siont z moved;

Figure 3'is an enlarged reanelevationallview oi the transmission,

Fig. 4' isv an enlarged vertical sectional View" takentsubstantially along: the plane Of the lihe 44 of Fi re Figure 5 is a transverse sectionaljvlew of; the rotor and rotor casing'takensubstantiallgalong" a plane as indicated bfyfthe line 5,-.5 of, Figure 4,

i ur 6 is la e ctver ical' ctional. view en s ia x' ng: the. ane; of he Hindi 6-6 of Figure flj. V

Fi e 5- n. n ar ed ho i o a sectib ,e i w a n u sta ial y alo e'tlier nl ne'o tn, n eur L gensli V Fi u 8; 9 and? 0 men ar edii prizontel eeP 10 Views EEK ubs tial y'along the pl nes of the lines 8+8}. 91-9- and; ld -l ll,respect ively, of Figure-ii;

Referrine or pa icula v to he r wi e tiont and which includes; a tubular colum wherein? like efe ence; c aract s desi nate; or corres ondin p rts; throu ho t the: lines: ntf views; It d ignate eneral an: utbo. motor constructed n: cc danc w thathe inven havin a prope ler skeg. l at thei ow r' ndvt f nd? a.- motor ca ingt5; mounted on; its upperendrand which s pted; o on a n a 1215 1 3.? m ver o nema. ot hQ l',=O -j the outboard m9: tor I12; A: steerin am; H ro ects o wardl from the column l3 adjacent its uppe g end. collar I1 is turnably mounted: on: the; column l3 just below the steering arm i6; and is provigled with a f war y projecting Is. A. cla

; I 9 h a up ar y p c in shank whi h is n vota iv nnected at: 21, o hnfree one: &5 the rm: H8- he lamp fle ed o e e9 nected in; a conventional manner to; the stern ofaboat for mountingthe outboard motoii lz thereon and is provided with arearwardly e35 tending outwardl bowed portion 22; havingan arcuately arranged series of openings; 2 3, ion selectively receiving a-stop; pin 24 whichisyadapt; ed to engage a flange 25 on the; column [3; i913 limiting the swinging movement ofthe column toward theclamp [9; The flange-zemaralsob provided with a series of apertures; 23; in ang oneof which; the stoppin 24 can be mounted-I101 engaging the arcuatelyshaped edgeof the clamp portion22= A contractile coil spring 26- is; fas -1 tened at its upper end to the-inner portionmi; the arm I8 and at its lower endto the clamp IQ' for urging. the arm IB- and the collar IJF to swing downwardly on the pivot 21 for swinging the lower portion of the column liforwardliz; or"

in adirection toward the-clamp l9".

A pump housing- Z'iiiisconnected to and partly disposed in the column I 3 beneath on adjacent the collar IT. The casing 26 is oval in cross-section, asbest seen in Figure 7; and contains two The. gear 2 is keyed toashaft- 29 which extendaup wardly, therefrom through theupper part of the column I3 and into the engine casingi lfsIandj which' is'adapted' to be connected to or to forifi;

' the driven shaft oi the prime mover and which,

drives the gear 21 in a oounter-clockwise'di motion, as seen in Figure '7, The gear," 28 is ount d on a ha t t e, e s o w ich a disposed inf the casing 26 andsaid gear" ZBQfOrms-T an idler gear which is driven by; rueear. 21;; The casing 26 is provided with oppositely disposed downwardly extending, ports; 3 and 32} which open into the casing ZBbetWeen-the-gears 2Tandi28and the ports 31 and 32 communicate with fittings 33 and 34, respectively, which de-' pend from the housing 26 and which are provided with conical shaped bores 35 and 36, respectively, which are tapered toward their lower ends. The fitting 33 is provided with oppositely opening ports 31 and 38 and the fitting 34 is provided with similar ports 33 and 40.

Bore 35 contains a conical shaped valve 4| having a restricted, closed lower end which closes the lower end of the bore 35 and an enlarged open upper end which communicates with the port 3|. The closed lower end of the valve 4| is provided with an opening through which a shaft 42 extends which is keyed to the valve 4| and which has one end depending from the valve 4|. A valve 43 is mounted in the bore 36. The valve 43 is identical with the valve 4| except that it is not provided with an opening in its restrict- 7 ed end but has a stub shaft 44 depending therefrom. The valve 4| is provided with two circumferentially elongated circumferentially spaced ports 45 and 46 intermediate of its ends which are movable into positions to register with theports 31 and 38, respectively. The distance, circumferentially, between the remote ends of the ports 45 and 46 is less than an arc of one hundred and eighty degrees. As seen in Figure 10, the valve 43 is provided with a pair of similarly disposed ports 41 and 48 which are movable to positions to register with the ports 39 and 40, respectively 7 As seen in Figure 1, the column I3 is provided with an enlargement 49 near the skeg l4 in which is disposed a rotor casing 50 provided with a chamber 5|, as seen in Figures 4 and 5, in which is disposed a rotor 52, from one side of which projects a propeller shaft 53 which is journaled in the enlargement 49 and which projects outwardly from its rear end and has a propeller 54 keyed thereto. A stub shaft 55 projects from the opposite side of the rotor 52 and is journaled in the enlargement 43 for rotatably mounting the rotor in the chamber 5|. The rotor 52 is provided with crossed diametrically extending slots 55 for containing crossed vanes 51 and 58. The vane 51, asseen in Figure l, is formed of sections having extensions 59 projected from opposite edges thereof and forming an opening 65 in the center of the vane in which is slidably mounted a restricted shank 6| which'forms the intermediate portion of the vane 58 to enable the vane to slide diametrically of-the rotor 52 and relatively to one another. 'As seen in Figure 5, the vanes 51 and 53 are substantially longer than the slots 56. The chamber 5| includes an upper arcuately shaped portion which loosely engages the rotor 52 and a lower portion which is spaced from the rotor and which forms an arcuately shaped space 62 the length of which is greater than one hundred and eighty degrees. Consequently, when the rotor is revolved, the ends of the vanes 51 and 58 will engage the upper portion of the chamber 5| for forcing the opposite ends of the vanes outwardly against the outer side of the space or chamber 62. The rotor casing 50 is provided with integral conduits 63 and 64 which open into the ends of the space or chamber 62.

A pipe 65 is connected at one end to the conduit 63 and has its opposite end communicating with the port 31. A pipe 66 is connected at one end to the conduit 64 and has its opposite end communicating with the port 39. A branch pipe 61 is connected at one end to the fitting 33 and communicates with the port 38 and is connected at its opposite end to the pipe 66, intermediate of the ends thereof. A branch pipe 68 communicates at one end with the port 45 and has its opposite end in communication with the pipe 65, intermediate of the ends thereof. The pipes 65, 66, 61 and 63 have their upper ends disposed exteriorly of the column l3 and their lower portions disposed therewithin and the fittings 33 and 34 are disposed on the outer side of the column I3.

Referring to Figure 6, the casing or housing 26 is provided with a port 69 in the top thereof directly above the port 3| and has a. fitting 13 projecting upwardly therefrom and communicating therewith. The fitting 10 corresponds to the fittings 33 and 34 except that it is provided with 'a single'outwardly opening port 1| intermediate of its ends which communicates with a conduit 12. .Said conduit 12 has an end opening downwardly into a port 13 which is disposed directly above the port 32. A conical shaped valve 14 is turnably mounted in the fitting 10' and has an opening in its restricted end through which the upper end of the shaft 42 extends and inwhich said shaft is keyed. The valve 14, as best seen in Figure 8, is provided with a single circumferentially elongated opening 15 intermediate of its ends which is movable into and out of registry with the port 1|. The upper end of the shaft 42 extends above the valve 14 and has keyed thereto a crank arm 15. Corresponding crank arms 11 are keyed to the lower end of the shaft 42 andio the stub shaft 44. The crank arms 16 and 11 are urged toward headed ends of the shaft .42 and the stub shaft 44 by means of expansion springs 18. The free ends of the crankarms 11 are pivotally connected to the endsof a link 19 so that the valves 4|, 43 and 14 willturn as a unit when the crank arm 16 is actuated as will hereinafter be explained. 7'

As best seen in Figure 2, a cylinder B6 is mounted on the top of the pump housing 26 and is connected adjacent its lower end by a pipe 8| to the high pressure side of the pump housing 26. Cylinder 80 contains a piston 82 havinga piston rod 83 which extends upwardly through. the top thereof and which is slidably mounted therein. A coil spring 84 urges the piston 82 downwardly. A flexible shaft .85 is connected at its lowerend to the upper end of the piston rod 83 and is connected at its upper end to a lever 86 which is adapted to be connected to a conventional control valve, not shown, of the prime movergwhich is disposed in the casing I5, for regulating the flow of the fuel mixture thereto. J

A lever 88 is pivotally mounted on the steering arm l6 and has its free end disposed beneath the handle portion thereof and is connected ,to a flexible shaft 89 and which shaft is connected to the free end of the crank arm-16. The flexible shaft 89 includes a' flexible conduit which is clamped to the steering arm l6, andto the pump housing 26, by a bracket 89'.

Assuming that the engine or prime. mover, within the casing I5, is driving the gear21 ins. counterclockwise direction, as seen in Figure 7, and that the control lever 88 is in its position of Figure 1, with the control lever 88 thus disposed the valves 4|, 43 and 14 will be in their positions as seen in Figures 9, 10 and'8, respectively. The

system, including the conduit pipes, which connect the rotor casing-to the pump housing, and said housing and casing, is adapted toIbeiilled with a hydraulic liquid. The rotation of the gears 21 and 28 will therefore draw the liquid inwardly of the housing 26 through the port 32 and will forcee liquid outwardly through the ppntsfli and 69; With thevalves. in. the IJDSlfiOllSLGfiFlguses: 8,. 9 and 10,. the. liquidwillibe admitted. to the: intake fitting 342 throughit's port. Sci and through the port 41. of the. valve 43. A. part: of the liquid will be. forced outwardly through the valve port. 45 and the fitting port 31 into. the conduit. 65:. The. remainder ofthe liquid wiil pass; upivardkv through the. ports 69, 15. and 1H and. throughthe. conduit. 1.2 and the port E3 back to. the intake. of the. housing :26 so that this portion. of the. liquid, will be. biz-passed arolmd the; pump; from its. pressurezside to its suction sides The; liquid. which is. forced into the eon duit E55 is forced downwardly therethrough and through the conduit 63 into the chamber 62 to turn the rotor 52 in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Figure 5. The blades of the propeller 54 are pitched so that when it is thus turned the motor l2 would drive in a forward direction. The fluid passes around the chamber 62 through conduit 64 and pipe 66, and through ports 39, 41 and 32 back to the intake side of the pump. The pressure of the liquid in the high pressure side of pump housing 26 will raise the piston 82 part way and partially open the valve for controlling the fuel feed to the engine so that the motor l2 will be driven at a low speed. By moving the control lever 88 further away from the steering arm 16, the valves 4 I, 43 and 14 will all be turned in counter-clockwise directions, as seen in Figures 8, 9 and 10, to fully expose the ports 45 and 41 and to close the port 15 so that none of the hydraulic fluid will be by-passed and all of it will be utilized by the rotor 52, in the same direction as previously described. This will cause the propeller 54 to be driven at a faster speed and will also increase the pressure on the underside of the piston 82, due to the fact that there will be as much pressure against the underside of piston 82 as against the rotor blades, so that the fuel control valve of the engine will be moved to a fully open position to cause the motor to drive at its full speed. By moving the control lever 88 upwardly to an intermediate position, the valves in Figures 8, 9 and 10 will be turned in clockwise directions for fully opening the port and for closing both ports of the valves 4| and 43 so that all of the hydraulic liquid will be bypassed through the conduit 12. As a result, the propeller 54 will not be driven and the transmission will be in a neutral position. This will relieve substantially all pressure on the high pressure side of the pump, allowing the spring 84 to return the piston 82 to a fully retracted position for fully closing the fuel valve so that the engine will only receive suflicient fuel to permit it to idle. By moving the control lever 88 further toward the handle of the arm Hi the valves in Figures 8, 9 and 10 will be further moved in a clockwise direction to partly close the port 15 and to partly open the ports 46 and 48. When thus positioned, the valves will cause a portion of the hydraulic fluid to be by-passed and the remaining portion thereof will pass downwardly through port 3!, ports 45 and 38, pipe 61 and the lower portion of pipe 66 and into the chamber 62 through the conduit 64 for driving the rotor 52 in a clockwise direction, as seen in Figure 5, to thereby cause the propeller to be driven in reverse so that the motor l2 will drive in reverse. The hydraulic liquid passes from the chamber 62 through conduit 63 and the lower portion of pipe 65, up through pipe 68 and ports 40 and 48 and the intake port 32% back tcr the; intake side-of: the; By moving the controli'lexer' lm'toi a, fully; raisedipositionthe port. 1:51 w'illsbe. closed: and the ports B: and 41! fully opened; so. thatv all the-hydraulic. be pumped through the rotor casing and so that the fuel control valve will be in a fully operied position.

When; the motor 12, is. drl-uing reverse,. the spring 26 will prevent the column. 13.. from.swing.- ing upwa dly an sa d ser es also a t to yieldingly hold. the column-in its position of Figure 1 so can ride over an); obstruction that it, mi ht s aits- "the P nes 1 and .6 hat excess; sin y filcqnueqted herctc and w con a air. Should the rotation of the propeller 54 be obstructed and during the movement of the valves to open and closed positions, any excess pressure built up in the system will be forced into the cylinders to thereby relieve the pressure on the system.

The engine contained in the casing 15 is not shown and described as it forms no part of the invention and any suitable type of internal combustion engine capable of driving the shaft 29 may be used.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims, as only a preferred embodiment thereof has been disclosed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A hydraulic transmission comprising a pump mechanism having a housing containing a fluid, depending valves on said housing, a conduit from one of the valves to the outlet side of the pump housing, a conduit from the other valve to the inlet side of the pump housing, a rotor provided with a casing, a main pipe connecting the valve, associated with the outlet side of the pump housing, to one side of the rotor casing, a second main pipe connecting the other valve to the opposite side of the rotor casing, branch pipes leading from the valves and crossing and communicating with the opposed main pipes, said pipes forming the sole support of the rotor, one of the conduits and the main pipe associated therewith conveying the pumped fluid to the rotor casing to drive the rotor and the other main pipe and associated conduit returning the fluid to the pump housing, and means by which said valves are operable as a unit to divert the flow of the fluid through the branch pipes for reversing the direction of movement of the fluid in the rotor.

2. A hydraulic transmission comprising a pump mechanism having a housing containing a pump fluid, said housing having an outlet port and an inlet port connected to the outlet and inlet sides, respectively, of the pump, valves mounted in said ports, a rotor including a casing, a conduit leading from one side of the rotor casing to one side of the outlet port, a second conduit leading from the other side of the rotor casing to one side of the inlet port, branch conduits extending from the first and second mentioned conduits and crossing one another and connecting respectively with the opposite sides of inlet and outlet ports, said conduits forming the sole support of the rotor, and operating means for operating said valves as a unit whereby when the valves are in one position the fluid will pass to and from the pump housing and rotor casing through the first and second mentioned conduits only and when 7 in an alternate iiosition the fluid will be diverted Number through the branch conduits for reversing the 958,212

direction of flow thereof in the rotor casing and 972,223

in the first and second mentioned conduits. 1,056,606

' SAMUEL F. SHIELDS. 5 1,099,161

REFERENCES CITED 359990 The following references are of record in the 1,269,338

file of this patent: 1

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